ROSS GALLERY

Kindred Spirits - Solo Exhibition by Rita Kirkman

Artists' Reception -  March 27th, 5 PM - 7 PM

Exhibition Dates - March 27th - May 29th, 2021

Internationally renowned pastel artist Rita Kirkman opens her exhibit Kindred Spirits at Arts for Rural Texas on March 27th. The artist’s reception will be held from 5 PM to 7 PM on Saturday and is open to the public. Kirkman’s exhibit is another example of the high caliber of work being made available to residents and visitors in the region. The artist’s work is defined by light, color and composition, and since 2003 has consistently won major awards in national and international competitions.  She is a Signature member of the Pastel Society of America and an Eminent Pastelist with the International Association of Pastel Societies.   Kirkman’s paintings are part of public and private collections all over the world, including the U.S. Canada, Mexico, Europe, Japan, Africa and Australia. Arts for Rural Texas seeks to provide highly recognized artists and high quality artwork for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike.

Rita Kirkman’s exhibit, Kindred Spirits, focuses on the similarity, a kinship, in humans and animals, The artist captures emotions in the eyes and stance of the animals, expressions with which we humans identify. Rita Kirkman’s paintings of animals have an unmistakable presence and a connection with the viewer. With a background in portraiture, she captures the spirit of each as an individual soul. 

When viewing one of Kirkman’s pastels, color and light emanates from them, abstracting reality and creating playful, expressive stories on the surfaces. Her pieces are filled fragments of color and bold strokes that capture the many textures and patterns she renders. Her process of underpainting the light forms a sense of place and depth that stimulates the imagination. The situations and expressions of her animals spark a human recognition within us 

Rita Kirkman has been painting with pastel since the age of 11.  She says,  “I’ve been an artist my entire life. Of all of my childhood dreams of what to be when I grew up, being an artist was the only thing that “stuck. I’ m blessed to be able to find beauty in everything I see. My work has evolved into an observation of sunlight and shadow, and recently I’ve been playing with more adventurous ways to portray light with color, value and temperature. Along with themed portraiture, a trendy subject with my collectors has been ranch animals. This works rather well because ranch animals are ideal models of sunlight, and as Claude Monet said, ‘The subject matter, my dear good fellow, is the light ….’ I could be just as happy painting fruit, or grain silos, or old shoes. As long as I can see and catch the effects of the light, shadows and reflected light on the subject and surroundings.” 

 OPENING JUNE 5TH, 2021 - IMAGINE LOVE by Larry Schueckler  "Watch The Legends Come to Life" Artist, Larry Schueckler will be creating a legacy sculpture at ARTS.  Meet the artist and watch the work evolve.  See the development weekly as he brings this piece to life. 

The Children's Gallery is located within the Ross Gallery in Fayetteville, Texas. This colorful gallery features art created by children enrolled in Art After School.